I was lying there, on a cold Hospital bed, Room 206. My eyes opened painfully, as I stared on that Blank Ceiling.
I overheard my Doctor say, that my Spinal Cord had received injuries and hence my Head was fixed with Plaster. I couldn't twist my neck. And that plain white ceiling stared back.
I had to stay awake the entire night, to keep my nervous system active. Otherwise I could slip into Coma.
I'd given up on most of my hopes. It was impractical to not close your eyes when there was tearing pain in your head and neck. And all you could see was a Ceiling. There were nil chances of someone surviving a grievous Spinal injury.
The other patient in the Room, was lying on the bed next to me. "Hey buddy", he squeaked. I was least interested in striking up a conversation when you're about to die.
"Whats outside the window?", I asked, for a change, assuming there was one. He fell silent. Maybe there wasn't a window.
"Ah! It's a beautiful scenery. Lush green Garden. Children are playing on swings and see saw and in sand. The Sun is about to set", he began, rather abruptly.
I felt lighter. The pain went away a bit. I was Happy.
"Tell me more", I said , impatiently. "There's an old granny knitting onto thread. There's a couple sitting in each other's arms", he went on. I thought of my wife. Tears welled up in my eyes. I wanted to see her. No, I had to live!
After about an hour, I sprang up again
"How's it now?"
"The sun has set. The sky is painted in a beautiful purple hue. The orangish shades are fading away. And Oh! The silver Moon has come up the Horizon"
I could all see it, like a movie, flashed onto the Ceiling. That plain white surface was filled with pictures, as I envisioned his vivid description.
At around Midnight, the talks moved from Window to names, lives and professional career. I got to know, he had a fever and cold, hence was admitted beside me. "Lucky him!", I thought. Such a mild disease.
"Do you think I'll live?", I asked him, out of no where.
"A 100%"
Slowly, the night passed. We had a last talk , in which he described the Shadow of the Silver Moon on the towering skyscrapers. And how it conquered the tall buildings.
The Next Day, I woke up with a heavy head. The pain was still there but my hope flickered. I don't know how and when I'd fallen asleep.
The Doctor checked me up. I was doing good. Out of critical condition. I wanted to thank my buddy.
The head, still fixed into that plain ceiling, I asked
"What's up?"
The nurse said confused, "Whom are you talking to?"
"Why, the Man beside me!"
She was silent. "I'm Sorry but he died today"
The words hit me hard. He died?
"He was a Critical Patient of Pneumonia. He was bound to die"
I was shocked beyond words.
"Nurse, what's going outside the window?"
"There's a Wall there, right outside it. I cannot see anything"
"Then those descriptions he gave me?"
"That's not possible either. He was Blind"
...
- Inspired by a Childhood Prose -
